Rubio: U.S. 'barreling toward a second Cold War'

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The United States is "barreling toward a second Cold War" with Russia, Marco Rubio warned Friday.

The Florida senator called for new sanctions against Russian officials and companies, as well as the use of American Special Forces to confront ISIS. But Rubio said more must be done in the Middle East, including establishing a coalition of Sunni troops to defeat ISIS in Iraq.

"Strong American leadership is the only force capable of ensuring that peace and security once again prevails," said Rubio, who's seeking the Republican nomination for president.

Just two days after Russia started air strikes on Syria, Rubio spoke at the Americans for Peace, Prosperity and Security forum here. Rubio spoke about how he would respond to the situation in the Middle East, if he were commander in chief.

In addition to sanctions, Rubio said he'd supply Ukraine with increased intelligence and military assistance, and work to isolate Russia diplomatically, except to resolve the crisis in Syria. He'd also impose visa bans and asset freezes against top Russian officials, and work with European allies to make it difficult for Russia to transfer money between countries.

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"(Russian President Vladimir Putin) will be treated for what he is: a gangster and a thug," Rubio told the crowd of more than 250 at the Cedar Rapids library. "I stand by those phrases."

On ISIS in Syria

Rubio said American special forces are needed in Syria to improve targeting success of airstrikes. He called for special operations to target ISIS leaders.

"One of the reasons that ISIS is able to conduct new recruits is that they win a propaganda war," Rubio said. " ... I think we need to conduct special operations toward them that capture senior leaders and publicize them on social media, to show the world that they're not invincible."

But Rubio stopped short of advocating using ground troops to intervene, telling Meserve he would do so "if that's ultimately the only choice left."

"There's no way we can live in a world where ISIL survives," Rubio said. "But I don't believe that embedding regular, American troops on the ground is the best way to do it, and I don't believe we need to do it."

On Russia

Rubio warned that Putin is seeking to re-emerge as "a rival to American military might in this century."

Rubio criticized Hilary Clinton's "reset" of U.S.-Russia relations as secretary of state. "If the reset worked, it worked for Russia – not the United States," he said.

And he accused President Barack Obama of creating "the view that America looks weak, which is a very dangerous perception and one that Vladimir Putin is nurturing," Rubio said.

Rubio continued, saying: "By word and by deed, (Putin) is trying to convince U.S. partners that America is a losing battle, and that Russia is the only country willing to take decisive action to confront the threats of the region."

In response, Sam Lau of the Iowa Democratic Party said that Rubio's foreign policy ideas "are a dangerous mix of failed Bush-era neoconservative policies and an outdated Cold War mentality."